Note from Kate: If you love this poem & want to share it on your own blog, website, or Facebook wall, please do not copy and paste the text. Instead, please include a short quote or just the title and then share the rest of the poem by providing a link to my original post here – that way, you can share with your own readers and honor the copyright, too. Here’s the URL:

Happily, I do not teach in a ‘test-taking’ world, but I hear plenty from friends who do, & from my grandson, a 7th grader now, with plenty to say about the constant test prep. I’ll share where others will enjoy this immensely, Kate! Thanks for putting the bubbles where they belong, in a creative poem.

I could go on and on about my objections to standardized tests, what they’re doing to education (to teachers, to kids, to schools, to parents), but I can tell you share my thoughts. Thanks for your stunning poem, Kate.